| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4] > | Are you a Linux Translator? Thread poster: Rafa Lombardino
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Rafa Lombardino
United States
Local time: 01:30
Member (2005)
English to Portuguese
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After reading one of our colleague's plead to be convinced to abandon Windows and noticing that there are more people than I thought working as a translator while running Linux, I'd like to hear from people currently using such set up. Feel free to answer the questions below:
1. When and why did you decide to switch to Linux and what Linux distribution are you currently using?
2. Are you running any Microsoft / Mac p... See more After reading one of our colleague's plead to be convinced to abandon Windows and noticing that there are more people than I thought working as a translator while running Linux, I'd like to hear from people currently using such set up. Feel free to answer the questions below:
1. When and why did you decide to switch to Linux and what Linux distribution are you currently using?
2. Are you running any Microsoft / Mac programs for translation purposes? How?
3. Are you using any Linux CAT software?
Well, besides raising a great theme for discussion with Linux-friendly translators, I'm also deeply interested in those running any Linux CAT software. I've been using Trados for three years now (a couple of clients demand that I use it), and I was wondering if any of you have been working with a Trados-alike tool (which would allow for a future seamless CAT switch.)
Thanks! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Linux lover here ;) | Mar 9, 2007 |
1. I switched to Linux almost 3 years ago, fed up and angried by instant problems with Windows. Never regretted the decision. I started with Mandariva (Mandrake at that time), checked out a few distributions, but for last 2 years I use PCLinuxOS, which I find absolutely perfect for my needs.
I wasn't a full-time translator yet when I switched.
2. No. I use only Linux native programs. I never had a reason to emulate anything, as there is lots software for Linux, usually popular... See more 1. I switched to Linux almost 3 years ago, fed up and angried by instant problems with Windows. Never regretted the decision. I started with Mandariva (Mandrake at that time), checked out a few distributions, but for last 2 years I use PCLinuxOS, which I find absolutely perfect for my needs.
I wasn't a full-time translator yet when I switched.
2. No. I use only Linux native programs. I never had a reason to emulate anything, as there is lots software for Linux, usually popular Windows programs have several equivalents for Linux. I have all I need
3. Yes. I started with OmegaT, and now I mostly use Heartsome Xliff Translation Editor (about 6 months).
It happened that agencies wanted me to use Trados, but it occurred all they really need it TMX. I can create it with both OmegaT and HSXTEditor.
I wouldn't use Windows again even if someone would pay me for this
Anni ▲ Collapse
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First off I am not a professional translator. I run Linux because it is part of my job.
1. I did not switch to Linux, I run Linux with Windows. In fact I've found cygwin works so well on my Windows PC that I don't have to keep Linux running all the time. I have been running RedHat and Fedora, these are popular distros in the US.
2. I run Microsoft Word because that is the file format clients ask for. Personally I prefer LaTeX much better.
3. No, I don't use Linux CAT soft... See more First off I am not a professional translator. I run Linux because it is part of my job.
1. I did not switch to Linux, I run Linux with Windows. In fact I've found cygwin works so well on my Windows PC that I don't have to keep Linux running all the time. I have been running RedHat and Fedora, these are popular distros in the US.
2. I run Microsoft Word because that is the file format clients ask for. Personally I prefer LaTeX much better.
3. No, I don't use Linux CAT software. Up to now I basically run Linux as servers with LaTeX as the only application. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Marc P (X) 
Local time: 10:30
German to English
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| Are you a Linux Translator? | Mar 9, 2007 |
1. When and why did you decide to switch to Linux and what Linux distribution are you currently using?
When: I "discovered" Linux in 1999, and quickly began using it for any jobs where practically possible, and Windows for the rest. I stopped using Windows altogether in 2002. Three applications appeared in 2002 which considerably improved the Linux situation for translators: OpenOffice.org, with excellent compatibility to MS Office (unlike its predecessor, Star Office 5.1); Crossover Office, which enabled MS Office - and also Wordfast - to be used on Linux; and OmegaT.
The why: better stability, better security, more control, no vendor lock-in. I also much prefer the KDE user interface to Windows. How do people manage without multiple virtual desktops?
Distribution: SuSE 10.
2. Are you running any Microsoft / Mac programs for translation purposes? How?
Only MS Office (on Crossover Office), and only for the occasional checking of formatting.
OmegaT. I have also tested a number of other products including Heartsome, Wordfast, OLT, Sprint, Wordfisher, Ecco and Transolution.
Marc
[Edited at 2007-03-09 17:35]
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Sonja Tomaskovic (X)
Germany
Local time: 10:30
English to German
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| Just recently | Mar 9, 2007 |
1. I switched to Linux at the beginning of this year. I had planned to switch earlier, but then I wasn't sure if I still might need my Windows box (and so had to buy new hardware). As it turns out, I don't use it at all, and my husband is more than happy to have a machine for himself.
I switched because I felt the time has come to abandon Windows. There are a number of things I didn't like about Windows. Actually I've been a Linux and open-source supporter for years. I installed my first L... See more 1. I switched to Linux at the beginning of this year. I had planned to switch earlier, but then I wasn't sure if I still might need my Windows box (and so had to buy new hardware). As it turns out, I don't use it at all, and my husband is more than happy to have a machine for himself.
I switched because I felt the time has come to abandon Windows. There are a number of things I didn't like about Windows. Actually I've been a Linux and open-source supporter for years. I installed my first Linux system in 1999, and ever since kept telling myself that I would switch one day.
I am running Ubuntu, which I find perfect for my needs. Ubuntu hasn't been my first choice. I tested a number of distros on my computer, but Ubuntu was the one that worked right out of the box without the need for adjustments.
2. I still use Wordfast a lot (I have one client who requires me to work with Wordfast), so Word is a must for me. I run it with Crossover. I decided not to use virtualization software, such as VMWare, Parallels, Win4Lin, etc., because that would require me to buy an additional license for Windows, and I didn't want that. I also run a dictionary software that is Windows-only (in fact, I wasn't expecting it to run with Crossver, but found out that it does work - although not completely trouble-free).
3. I use OmegaT quite frequently. No surprise: I am a member of the OmegaT project team.
I don't use the Heartsome Editor anymore, but it is another CAT tool that runs on Linux (and on Windows and on Mac).
[Bearbeitet am 2007-03-09 19:35]
[Bearbeitet am 2007-03-09 19:36] ▲ Collapse
| | | | esperantisto
Local time: 11:30
Member (2006)
English to Russian
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SITE LOCALIZER | I still dual boot | Mar 10, 2007 |
1. I've got OpenSUSE 10.2 together with Windows XP for a couple of months. Untill recently, I worked mainly in Windows, but switched to Linux for my current job and was fully satisfied. Unfortunately , I'm back to Windows, as Linux does not recognize my USB flash drive anymore. As soon as I solve the problem, I'll go to Linux again.
2. I use MS Office. Not for translation, but for post-translation (checking formatting in the documents that I have to deliver in MSO formats).
3. I have... See more 1. I've got OpenSUSE 10.2 together with Windows XP for a couple of months. Untill recently, I worked mainly in Windows, but switched to Linux for my current job and was fully satisfied. Unfortunately , I'm back to Windows, as Linux does not recognize my USB flash drive anymore. As soon as I solve the problem, I'll go to Linux again.
2. I use MS Office. Not for translation, but for post-translation (checking formatting in the documents that I have to deliver in MSO formats).
3. I have never heard of any Linux CAT program. I use OmegaT, which is not actually Linux, or Window, or Mac, it's Java. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 10:30
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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Marc P wrote:
Only MS Office (on Crossover Office), and only for the occasional checking of formatting.
If only for formatting, why have Crossover Office at all? Doesn't Word Viewer 97/2000 (or even 2003) work on Wine?
| | | | | I'm surprised to see so many use Linux! | Mar 10, 2007 |
1. When and why did you decide to switch to Linux and what Linux distribution are you currently using? 2. Are you running any Microsoft / Mac programs for translation purposes? How? 3. Are you using any Linux CAT software?
1. I dabbled in Linux a long time ago (1999 or so) but I needed a lot of programs that I couldn't use on Linux at the time. I have been using Linux now exclusively for a couple years, and could not be happier. I have used Debian, Open SUSE, and Ubuntu. I've stuck with Ubuntu because it has pretty much everything I need.
2. I use VMWare, my computer came with Windows XP preinstalled, so I just used that license for my vm. I have Trados on there, because not everything works with Open Source programs...
3. Omega T.
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Marc P (X)
Local time: 10:30
German to English
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| Are you a Linux Translator? | Mar 10, 2007 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
If only for formatting, why have Crossover Office at all? Doesn't Word Viewer 97/2000 (or even 2003) work on Wine?
Word Viewer works on Crossover Office (I have never tried WINE for any length of time). But as the name suggests, it's only a viewer. You can't change anything.
The Word > OOo > Word conversion routine is extremely good and I rarely have to correct any formatting loss. (I far more often have to correct bad formatting in the original text, which is the main cause of conversion glitches anyway, but that can be done in OOo.) But there are certain glitches that become familiar over time. For instance, the page number and number of pages fields don't convert, so I re-insert them in Word afterwards. This isn't possible in Word Viewer.
Marc
| | | | Marc P (X)
Local time: 10:30
German to English
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Lorenia de la Vega wrote:
I'm surprised to see so many use Linux!
7 is not a lot. The Linux for Translators group at
tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/linuxfortranslators/
currently has 381 members. Not all of them necessarily use Linux, but I think that well over seven of the 381 do.
Marc
| | | | laseray
Local time: 04:30
English to French
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| Try qemu emulator to use Windows software on your Linux box | Mar 10, 2007 |
Hi,
If any of you need to use Windows software on Linux and have copies of your Windows OS you can run it in an emulator called qemu (http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/). It is free and actually works better than using Wine, Crossover Office, Parallels, or a few other possible solutions. It is relatively simple to pass file in and out of it (running as a virtual operating system) and... See more Hi,
If any of you need to use Windows software on Linux and have copies of your Windows OS you can run it in an emulator called qemu (http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/). It is free and actually works better than using Wine, Crossover Office, Parallels, or a few other possible solutions. It is relatively simple to pass file in and out of it (running as a virtual operating system) and it has networking capabilities that should run for most users.
Now, you probably need to be a little brave to get it going if you cannot find a nice graphical user interface to start it and configure. I haven't got it installed on my Linux box yet, but I did manage to get a port of it (Q) installed on Mac OS X for a translator client. In that situation I installed Windows 98 (yuck) just so a few applications could run (MS Office 2000, SDLX Lite). I also installed a number of Linux OS for testing (OpenSuSE, Kubuntu).
You will need a sufficiently powerful machine and extra RAM to spare.
CPU should be as fast as possible (2.0GHz+) and at least 128MB RAM from 1GB will be needed as an estimate.
Hope some of you try it. My client is very happy with it.
Raymond Martin ▲ Collapse
| | | | | And another one :) | Mar 10, 2007 |
1. I tried a few live cds last year, but not very seriously. In fact, the aggressive Vista marketing campaign convinced to take a closer look, and I've been using openSuse 10.2 almost exclusively for the past 3 months. I keep a dual boot with XP, just in case, but I don't need it very often (a few jobs requiring Adobe Acrobat, for exemple).
2. I haven't tried installing MS Office with Crossover yet, but Crossover allows me to use some of my dictionnaries (not all of them, but the on... See more 1. I tried a few live cds last year, but not very seriously. In fact, the aggressive Vista marketing campaign convinced to take a closer look, and I've been using openSuse 10.2 almost exclusively for the past 3 months. I keep a dual boot with XP, just in case, but I don't need it very often (a few jobs requiring Adobe Acrobat, for exemple).
2. I haven't tried installing MS Office with Crossover yet, but Crossover allows me to use some of my dictionnaries (not all of them, but the ones I need the most )
3. Nope ▲ Collapse
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laseray
Local time: 04:30
English to French
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| Try qemu emulator to use Windows software on your Linux box, cont'd | Mar 10, 2007 |
Sorry, forgot to mention that there already exist precompiled binary applications of qemu for a number of Linux distributions. I don't know off-hand all of them, but I have it for Mandriva.
Check the listing at Freshmeat - http://freshmeat.net/projects/qemu/
Also, it runs on Windows too. So if you want to try out Linux that way you will see why it is good without messing wit... See more Sorry, forgot to mention that there already exist precompiled binary applications of qemu for a number of Linux distributions. I don't know off-hand all of them, but I have it for Mandriva.
Check the listing at Freshmeat - http://freshmeat.net/projects/qemu/
Also, it runs on Windows too. So if you want to try out Linux that way you will see why it is good without messing with your harddisk partitions or a slow live CD.
Raymond ▲ Collapse
| | | | Walerij Winnyk (X)
Ukraine
Local time: 11:30
Chinese to Ukrainian
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1. When and why did you decide to switch to Linux and what Linux distribution are you currently using?
I switched to Linux some two years ago because of a simple interest to try something new. Then I found it (SUSE) is more comfortable for my work than Windows, so I stayed with Linux.
2. Are you running any Microsoft / Mac programs for translation purposes? How?
ReadIris 8 Pro (an OCR software) works very good through WINE, if you save the recognized text as plain text.
3. Are you using any Linux CAT software?
I tested Transolution but stayed with OmegaT.
[Edited at 2007-03-11 08:04]
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